Baking Bug

Since I am currently jobless and have a husband that is regularly MIA (get all the juicy details in his blog- warning! some of it is a bit gory), I've picked up a baking bug. So far, I've made blackberry cobbler, zucchini bread from Joy of Cooking, oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies from Field Guide to Cookies, and tonight, these babies....make them, they're amazing! I'm sure there will be more goodies to come. Alex's schedule isn't looking much lighter anytime soon...

Honey-Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from recipegirl.com)

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats, semi-blended in a food processor
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup honey
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, oats, soda and salt; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, use electric mixer to beat peanut butter, brown sugar, butter, honey, egg and vanilla until well blended.

3. Stir half of dry mixture into peanut butter mixture. Add second half and stir until all is well-blended. Stir in chocolate.

4. Cover and refrigerate until dough is firm and no longer sticky, about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. With hands, roll 1 heaping Tablespoonful of dough for each cookie into 1 ¾-inch-diameter ball. Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2½-inches apart. Bake cookies until puffed, beginning to brown on top and still very soft to touch, about 10-12 minutes. Watch closely because they will burn if baked too long. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.

Makes about 30 cookies